Ipswich Borough Council's Licensing and Enforcement team is responsible for all the administrative tasks and enforcement action associated with the issuing of various licenses on behalf of Ipswich Borough Council.
In summary, these licenses are in connection with:
- Alcohol and entertainment premises
- Gambling premises
- Lotteries
- Charitable collections (street and house to house)
- Scrap metal yards/motor salvage operators
- Pleasure boats
- Street trading
- Sitting-out areas
- Gaming
- Car boot sales
The Licensing Act 2003 brought the provision of licences for all "licensable activities" e.g. the sale and supply of alcohol, regulated entertainment (plays, films, indoor sporting events, boxing or wrestling, concerts etc) under the responsibility of the Council.
Licences for Premises and Personal licences, Temporary Event Notices and Club Premises Certificates are issued by us. The Council's Statement of Licensing Policy sets out how applications will be handled. A copy of the Policy is available via the link below:
Gambling Act 2005
The Gambling Act 2005 elicited a wholesale change in how gambling is licensed in Great Britain, bringing with it new responsibilities for licensing authorities. Gambling operators will require an operating licence and any relevant personal licences from the Gambling Commission, the new national gambling regulator. In Ipswich they can then obtain a premises licence from the Borough Council.
Decisions by both bodies will be made in accordance with the three licensing objectives:
- Preventing gambling being a source of crime and disorder
- Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
- Protecting children and the vulnerable from being harmed or exploited by gambling
The Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission issue personal and operating licences and ensure compliance with these and the associated codes of practice. It will investigate and prosecute illegal gambling providers and give guidance to licensing authorities on how they should carry out their functions under the Act.
What will local councils issue?
They will issue licences for:
- Casinos
- Betting offices and race tracks
- Bingo clubs
- Adult gaming centres
- Family entertainment centres
In addition they will issue permits for gaming machines in members' clubs and licensed premises, gaming in members' clubs, prize gaming and unlicensed family entertainment centres. In addition, they will also endorse Temporary Use Notices and issue Provisional Statements.
In general, the licensing authority (council) that issued the premises licence or permit will be responsible for monitoring it and taking any appropriate enforcement action.
What's the licensing policy?
Each licensing authority must produce a Statement of Principles that will set out how the authority intends to exercise its functions under the Act. The Council's Statement can be accessed via the link below:
Useful Contacts
For more information, please contact:
Licensing and Enforcement Unit
Ipswich Borough Council
Grafton House
15-17 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2DE
Telephone: 01473 433076
Email: licensingandenforcement@ipswich.gov.uk